Memoir of the Bishop of Durham.

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Memoir of the Bishop of Durham.

[Feb. 1,

deared affection; and, as a testimony of it, he caused a marble urn, inscribed with the name of his deceased friend, to be placed in his garden at Mongewell, in Oxfordshire.

To the cause of sacred literature, his lordship has contributed very largely, and in a variety of ways, by encouraging the studies of the serious, imparting valuable information to those who were employed in the elucidation of the inspired volume, and by fostering every design which had for its object the improvement of the human mind. All institutions calculated to lessen the catalogue of positive evils have ever found in him a zealous advocate and a liberal patron. The Society for Bettering the Condition of the Poor, and the Asylum for the Relief of the Indigent Blind, are particularly indebted to the Bishop of Durham for their present flourishing state, and the reports of the first contain many interesting papers from his pen. We may, indeed, safely affirm, that there is hardly a single cha ritable or public-spirited concern in the kingdom that has not experienced the substantial advantages of his judicious advice and benevolent assistance. His public revenues and his private fortune have been husbanded and applied to the noblest of all purposes, that of doing good to the present, and of providing for the best interests of the rising generation. In the very curious and entertaining narrative of the Persian prince, Mirza Abu Taleb, who was in England some years ago, is the following anecdote, the truth of which cannot well be doubted :-

foot a subscription for this purpose,
which by his interest and exertions
proved sufficient to remove the evils that
threatened the ruin of the fabric, and
to add those ornaments which were de-
sirable for the completion of its internal
beauty. Nor was the care of the bishop
confined to the material church and the
mere forms of religion: he approved
himself a zealous and an affectionate
pastor of the people committed to his
charge; and he took uncommon pains
in selecting proper persons on whom to
bestow his patronage. In conferring or-
ders he was remarkably watchful, and
made it a point to examine the candi-
dates closely-not merely with regard
to their titles and ordinary literary qua-
lifications, but in regard to their con-
nexions, course of studies, and serious
disposition. In 1791 his lordship was
removed to Durham, on the demise of
Bishop Thurlow; and here, as his influ-
ence is great, and his patronage power-
ful, it is but justice to say that he has
invariably conducted himself as the libe-
ral supporter of learning and virtue. To
unassuming merit he has been an uni-
form friend, secking out men of eminent
talents and piety, on whom he has con-
ferred the most substantial benefits in a
manner equally honourable to all par-
ties. Among others who have been so
distinguished by his discriminating judg-
ment, may be mentioned, without offence,
the present Bishop of St. David's, (who
was for many years his domestic chap-
lain; Dr. Paley, the late, and Dr. Gray,
the present, rector of Bishop Wear-
mouth; Dr. Andrew Bell, the inventor
of the new system of education; Mr.
Faber, the ingenious author of several
works on the prophecies and other sub-
jects; Mr. Brewster, author of lectures
on the Acts of the Apostles; and Mr.
Beloe, the translator of Herodotus, who
mentions the kindness of the Bishop of
Durham in the most respectful terms, in
the preface to his first volume of Anec-
dotes of Literature. Here also it may
proper to mention the close intimacy
which subsisted between his lordship
and the late Dr. Kennicott, who left the
care of selecting and publishing his ma-
nuscript notes on the Bible to his two
friends, Dr. Barrington and Mr. Cra-
cherode. This office they discharged
with due fidelity, and prefixed to the
volume of Posthumous Discourses in
1787 a brief account of the papers
which had been left by that amiable and
learned man. With Mr. Cracherode the
bishop lived on terms of the most en-

be

"I also had the honour of being known to the Lord Bishop of Durham, who was a man of great liberality and extensive charity. He frequently invited me to his house, and marked his attention by always asking some of the gentlemen who understood Persian to meet me. During the year of great scarcity in England, he daily fed a thousand poor people at his private expense. Hence may be formed some idea of the incomes and charity of the English bishops."

The literary talents of this venerable prelate appear to great advantage in the few publications that have been communicated to the world with his name. In the miscellaneous observations on the New Testament, edited by the learned printer Mr. William Bowyer, are several very valuable explications and conjectural remarks by Bishop Barrington; who has also made some ingenious additions to his noble father's critical disqui

1815.]

Memoir of the Bishop of Durham.

sitions on the sacred writings. Besides these, his lordship hath published some single sermons preached on particular occasions, a Letter to the Diocese of Salisbury, and several charges delivered to the clergy of Durham. One of these pastoral addresses became very unexpectedly, and contrary to the author's wish, the source of an embittered controversy, the history of which it will be necessary briefly to relate in this place. In 1806 the bishop thought proper to call the attention of his clergy, at their ordinary visitation, to a consideration of the Grounds on which the Church of England separated from the Church of Rome." There was nothing in this discourse which could justly give offence to the most rigid zealots of the Romish persuasion; for the noble prelate was remarkably mild and liberal in his treatment of their communion, at the same time that he deemed it an act of duty to remind his reverend brethren of their Christian obligations and privileges as the ministers of a Protestant church. A Catholic priest, however, of Newcastle, affected to treat this episcopal charge in the light of an attack upon his faith and hierarchy both, which it behoved him to defend in the true old polensical spirit that had animated the Allens, the Stapletons, and the Bellarmines, of former days. That the author of the "Remarks on the Bishop's Charge" had fully imbibed the energy and sophistry of the jesuitical school will be manifest, from the following passage in the preface, where, if at all, one might have expected to meet with a little courtesy at least, and some appearance of candour, whatever asperity might distinguish the rest of the performance. But this anonymous reviler was above even the ordinary civilities of common life, and he seems to have thought that when the honour of his profession was concerned, he had a right to insult the constituted authorities of the country with impunity. Thus he has the assurance to speak in the following terms of our ecclesiastical establishment, though it forms an integral part of our national polity, under which he and all his party enjoy an extent of liberty never granted by their society in any circumstances.

"There is much in the reformation more adapted to scandalize than to edify the dispassionate inquirer. In its origin and progress there was too much of human policy and human passion-too much of intrigue, duplicity, and violence -to characterize a work inspired by

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God for the amelioration of mankind. The Protestant is the established church; this should satisfy her ambition. In the present temper of mankind, while she remains in possession of wealth and honour, she may deem herself secure. Let her be content with her present glories, and cast a decent veil over the infirmity of her birth."

According to this impudent declaration, the church of England is an illegitimate intruder into the inheritance of an existing community, which is thereby suffering an unjust deprivation of its rights. In the body of the pamphlet the writer speaks out broadly to the same purpose; but he does it cunningly. by representing the use of the Latin tongue in the Roman church as a proof of her priority. "Hence," says this acute splitter of hairs, "the English church is a modern church; its language therefore should be modern, that its liturgy may announce to posterity the era in which it was framed. But the church of Rome is an ancient church; it therefore preserves its ancient liturgy, the language of which remounts to the origin of Christianity." To this the Protestant might safely answer, that if the use of a language gives a paramount claim to antiquity and excellence, the Syrian Christians and the Greek church must take the precedence of the Roman, since their liturgies are far more ancient than the Latin.

This pamphlet was circulated with such industry that a second edition was shortly after printed in London with a new preface, in which the author had the effrontery to say of the bishop," that from one extremity of his diocese to the other he preached a holy crusade against the opinions, I had almost said, the persons of the Catholics." Now, the man was well aware that in making this assertion he was uttering a deliberate falsehood, for the whole of the charge on which he animadverts was distinguished by its mildness and freedom from particular censure and general opprobrium. But the remarker knew that the mass of his readers would not venture to look into the discourse of a Protestant writer, and therefore he thought himself perfectly safe from detection among those whom he wanted to deceive. We have been the more copious on this subject because it is of importance, as marking the character of the party in favour of whom we are called upon to remove the barriers of our constitution, and to new. model our system of government. The

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Proceedings of Universities.

remarks were replied to by a clergyman of the diocese of Durham, and his letter cailed forth a general vindication of the intemperate pamphlet, without any apology for its warmth, or acknowledgment of its errors. To this the clergyman rejoined in a second letter, but the bishop himself meddled no otherwise in the controversy than by printing an explanatory tract on the doctrine of the Eucharist, clearing the church of England from the accusation of symbolizing with that of Rome in the article of the real presence. After this his lordship, at the desire of many of his friends, collected and published, in one volume 8vo. his sermons and charges, some of which were become so very scarce as rarely to be purchased in their separate state. Though the Bishop of Durham has been

[Feb. 1,

twice married he has had no issue; his first lady was the daughter of Charles Beauclerc, Duke of St. Alban's. She died in 1766, and in 1770 his lordship married the daughter of Sir John Guise, baronet. On the death of her brother, Sir William Guise, Mrs. Barrington came into the possession of the extensive estates of that ancient and honourable family.

We cannot conclude this imperfect sketch in more appropriate language than that of Gregory Naziangen, who says of the intrepid Athanasius: "To" praise this prelate is to pronounce the praise of virtue, and when I celebrate virtue I magnify him who bestows it upon the children of men that by its brilliant light they may be led to the knowledge and the love of truth."

INTELLIGENCE IN LITERATURE AND THE ARTS AND SCIENCES.

PROCEEDINGS OF UNIVERSITIES.

Oxford, Dec. 18.—At a general ordition held in the Cathedral Church of Oxford, by the lord bishop of the diocese, the following persons were ordained :

Deacons.-R. H. Duckenfield, B. A. student of Ch. Ch.; J. Andres, B. A. fell. of Pembroke; M. Banks, B. A. scholar of Wadham; E. O. Holwell, M. A. fell, of Oriel; T. Williams, B. A. scholar of Jesus; W. J. Mansel, B. A. of University College, curate of Heath and Cottisford; Geo. Chetwode, B. A. of Brasennose, curate of Chalgrove; R. C. Griffith, B. A. scholar of Wadham; J. B. Maude, M. A. fell. of Queen's; P. Maingy, B. A. of Pembroke Coll. curate of Brize Norton

Priests.-W. L. Buckle, B. A. of Lincoln Coll, curate of Chalgrove; T. Loveday, M. A. Demy of Magdalen; J. E. Tyler, M. A. fell. of Oriel; H. J. Hall, B. A. and T. O. Short, B. A. students of Ch. Ch.

Dec. 22.-The Rev. Edward Copleston, B. D. senior fellow of Oriel College, was unanimously elected provost, in the room of the Rev. John Eveleigh, D. D. deceased.

The same day Mr. T. H. Ormerod was admitted scholar of New College.

On the last day of Michaelmas Term the following gentlemen were admitted to degrees:-

M. A.-Rev. F. Thurland, of New Coll.-R. C. H. Collyns, of Baliol,

B. A.-Mr. T. H. Bowles, of Ch. Ch.

Mr. T. Shore, of Wadham Coll.-Rev.
J. C. Fisher, of Corpus Christi.

The whole number of degrees in Michaelmas Term was-D. D. 1; B. D. 2; B. M. 1; B. C. L. 1; M. A. 30; Hon. M. A. 2; B. A. 60; Matriculations, 148.

CAMBRIDGE,

DEC. 30.-G. White, B. A. and W. Eve, B. A. have been elected foundation fellows of that society.

Jan. 12.-The Hulsean prize for 1814 has been adjudged to the Rev. Thomas Fuller, B. A. fellow of St. John's-college, for his dissertation on the comparative Value of Prophecies and Miracles, as Evidences for the Truth of Christianity.

The subject of the Hulsean prize essay for the present year is-The distinct Provinces of Reason and Faith.

As certain public libraries have begun to insist on the obnoxious privilege vested in them by the act passed on the 29th of July last, " to amend several acts for the encouragement (?) of learning, by securing the copies and copyright of printed books to the authors of sach books or their assigns;" we shall anticipate our abstract of that act in its regular place to put publishers and authors in possession of the full extent of the legal claims of those bodies, and the obligations imposed on both parties:

The provisions of the acts of 8 Anne, and